by Bailey Coldwell
The day has finally come! You are bringing home your brand-new puppy. I am sure you are feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. With so much focus on proper socialization and setting the puppy up for success, how do you meet your new family members without making it stressful and anxiety-ridden? Keep reading for more.
You already love your puppy. But your puppy doesn’t know you yet. Or maybe they met you once, but actually bringing them home is a whole new ball game. We want to find a balance between showing them the love we have for them, but not trying to be over the top. When going to pick up your puppy, the best way to do an introduction is to allow the puppy to come towards you on their own terms. This could look like you and the breeder hanging out talking and the puppy moving around nearby. You can sit on the floor or in a chair, and the breeder places the puppy on the ground, allowing you to observe what happens. You can have a few pieces of kibble that you give to your puppy if the puppy chooses to come see you. Or a toy that you engage the puppy with if they show interest. Try not to lure your puppy over to you using the treat, especially if they are nervous, as this can add pressure to the situation.
If possible, try to spend some time with the breeder and the puppy. This doesn’t need to be a long time; even just 10-30 minutes will suffice. This will help the puppy get used to your smell, face, voice, and so on, before you immediately step out the door with it. Try to be casual and carefree. You can certainly pet your puppy if they come up to engage with you. If the puppy wants to move away from you, let them. Be mindful of how you are petting your puppy. For example, many puppies can get nervous or overstimulated if we reach over their heads and try to pet them in a fast manner. Try to focus on petting them on their chest or back. Pet under their heads versus reaching over. Some pups might flop over for some belly rubs, which is great too!
During this time, it is a good idea to have the pup’s travel crate with you and open. Have a few treats in there so that if the puppy checks it out, something great is waiting for them. Sometime during this, you can give the breeder a snuggle puppy or blanket that they can rub on the mother of the puppies and littermates. This will carry the scent of familiarity with your new puppy on your journey home.
When it is time to get going, if your puppy is not super eager for your contact yet, have the breeder be the one to put the puppy in the crate instead of you (make sure that the puppy has had a potty break first!). Then, go ahead and start your drive home with your new puppy. For advice on what to do when you first get home, check out the blog post titled “The First Few Days Home with your New Puppy”.
Let’s take this chance to talk about other types of greeting setups as well. Many new handlers have their puppies delivered via an airplane. I have met a few of my puppies at an airport, and the flight nanny has handed me a puppy in a crate. I try to avoid having the person hand me the puppy directly, in case the puppy is nervous of contact. I chat with the flight nanny for a few minutes. I then make my way to the family restroom at the airport or to my vehicle. I take my puppy out of the carrier (on pee pads if inside the family restroom or on the ground outside in a clean area) and hang out with my puppy for a few minutes. I may sit in the vehicle and let the puppy out of the crate, allow them to sniff me, take kibble from me if they want, and just get used to me for a few minutes.
Kid/family greetings are something that can be so exciting, but it's important to set everyone up for success. This is a good time to mention that even though it might seem like a fun idea to completely surprise kids by putting the puppy in a box and opening the lid to a new puppy, we do not recommend this. If you choose to surprise your kids with a puppy, you can. But the actual initial greeting shouldn’t be a surprise, even if you tell them just 10 minutes beforehand. We want to avoid the screaming, grabbing, and freak-out that comes with a complete surprise, for the sake of the puppy and their future bond. We want to make sure to be able to give the kids guidance on how to first greet the new family member. Here are some simple tips to give family members and kids when first meeting the puppies:
Last but not least, enjoy it. This is going to be a very memorable day for all involved. If something goes wrong? We are here to help as well.
